1655. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the implementation of the Approved Housing Bodies Strategic Forum Report including the amalgamation and consolidation of AHBs and sector sustainability fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55950/26]

The Report of the Approved Housing Body Strategic Forum (AHBSF) was published on 13 November 2025, alongside the National Housing Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Report represents the most comprehensive examination ever undertaken by the State of the AHB sector and sets out an ambitious transformative vision for the sector's evolution over the decade ahead, underpinned by a detailed roadmap of eight interlinked and mutually reinforcing policy development reforms.

The report of the AHBSF is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/report-of-the-approved-housing-body-ahb-strategic-forum/

Action 6.3 of the National Housing Plan commits to "Support Approved Housing Bodies by initiating a programme of priority reforms as detailed in the Approved Housing Body Strategic Forum Report that will deliver sectoral scale, resilience, efficiencies and long-term sustainability." The reform programme will continue for the full lifetime of the Plan.

Progress within these reforms over the period of the National Housing Plan will enhance the positive impact of AHBs, address immediate sectoral challenges and support the transformation towards a more resilient, effective and efficient sector.

The report has been very well received by both the sector and key stakeholders, and there is broad support for advancing the policy development reform programme outlined in the report so that the sector can continue to play its role as a key delivery partner in meeting the ambitions outlined under the new National Housing Plan.

The programme of policy development reform is well underway and will continue for the lifetime of the National Housing Plan. My Department has formalised quarterly engagement with the sectoral representative bodies and other key stakeholders, to advance quick win reforms and the advancement of structural reform proposals.

Sectoral Restructuring Body and Fund (Recommendation 4): Work is ongoing on the initial stages of this recommendation.

My Department has initiated a procurement process to secure independent, expert organisational design, legal and financial consultancy services to develop the organisational, financial, and legal frameworks for the proposed AHB Sectoral Restructuring Body and the National AHB Sectoral Sustainability Fund (NAHBSF), in order to bring forward fully costed and scoped policy proposals to Government.

This work will provide a framework on the establishment of the proposed AHB Sectoral Restructuring Body and fund, and ensure that my Department has clear steps to establish these structures to commence the process of strategic consolidation during the period of the National Housing Plan. The work will provide the evidence base necessary to support future policy and legislative proposals that facilitate strategic mergers across the sector, overcoming historic barriers such as prohibitive costs and contingent liabilities, in order to achieve my Department's objectives of a more resilient, efficient and effective sector.